


Familiar

by JunHiroki (xPrinceElix)



Category: Naruto
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Mild Sexual Content, slight deviation from canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-07
Updated: 2016-09-07
Packaged: 2018-08-13 15:16:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7981231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xPrinceElix/pseuds/JunHiroki
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the people you know, and those you wish you did.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Familiar

There are always the people you know, and the people you wish you knew. 

Mostly, Iruka felt content with his group of friends and how he lived his life. For him, there wasn’t much variation. He taught at the Academy and then assisted the Third Hokage in his day to day works at the mission desk or running small errands. 

Recently he had gotten a bit closer to Naruto. The boy was proving to be a bit more capable then Iruka had originally thought he would be. Naruto was a little slow in learning, but he tried at least five times harder then any other student he had ever seen before. 

He couldn’t really tell what drove the boy, but whatever it was had led Naruto to making quick progress recently. It was like the boy had been jump started and was finally running on something more then just his sheer power of will. He supposed Naruto had found the illusive Will of Fire.

Maybe this could be attributed to his introduction into Konoha 11. Iruka had seen the picture of the team sitting proudly next to the boy’s bed the last time he had visited. 

As he looked up at the sky he gave a little sigh of relief. There was going to be a little time before it started raining today, so he could get home without getting wet. Tonight they were expecting Kakashi and his team back. Maybe he would have Naruto over and he could make some ramen.

He would have to try and run to the store first though. He was out of pork. 

Iruka’s steady routine was broken when Konoha 11 arrived late into the evening and Naruto and Sasuke were admitted into the hospital. 

“One of the Seven Shinobi Swordsman,” Iruka demanded. 

Kakashi at least had the grace to look worried. Sasuke was still very passed out, induced into sleep so the medical-nin could heal the broken bones and punctures littering his body without too much pain. Sakura was trying to remain awake at his side, but it was clear she was very exhausted too. 

Even Naruto, Konoha’s most inexhaustible prankster, was restlessly sleeping in the bed next to the window, cuts and scraps covering his face. 

“I didn’t expect Zabuza to be there. No one did. But they fought really well, in the end Zabuza and the Kekkai Genkai kid were handled.” 

Looking at Kakashi closer, Iruka could see the strain on the copy-nin’s face too. His hitae-ate was covered in fresh dents and scratches. 

He opened his mouth to give Kakashi a lecture about being more careful, but reconsidered when he saw the look on his face. How uncharacteristic. From the small exposed part of the other’s face, Iruka could see not only exhaustion but fear and worry too. 

Even after years of seeing Kakashi around the village, he had never seen more the light amusement or annoyance. The copy-nin had always been aloof and rather cold. The only person Iruka had ever seen him out drinking with our even socializing with was Guy. And that wasn’t even by Kakashi’s own active choice as far as he was aware. 

Perhaps it was just because Iruka had been slowly seeing more and more of the fickle shinobi because of Naruto that he was seeing how human Kakashi actually was. He was worried about the young genin on his team. Rightfully so. Iruka almost felt ashamed that he had just assumed Kakashi was only training them out of obligation to the Hokage. 

“Sensei, I didn’t know you were Naruto’s emergency contact. I’m sorry we called you out here so late. And in this storm.” 

A simple statement. 

“It’s alright. I care about him and he doesn’t have anyone else. I’m worried about Sasuke too. He doesn’t have anyone to take care of him either. I can look after these three for a while. You can go get some treatment too.” 

“Are you sure?”

“You look like you really need it.”

“I’ll be back soon.” 

Iruka wiped the grime from the face of Sakura and moved her to the bed closest to the door. She had finally lost the battle with her exhaustion and was in a deep sleep now. Tomorrow she should be home. Her parents had just left for the night. 

Turning to Sasuke, he looked down at the dark haired boy. Even in sleep the Uchiha was scowling. Brushing his hair off his sweaty forehead, Iruka took a fresh cloth and soaked it in cool water and left it to rest on the boy to help bring down the fever. 

Naruto blinked up at him when he began gently cleaning the cuts on his face. 

“Iruka-sensei, you came.” 

“Of course. I told you I would always be there when you needed me.”

Very exhausted, Naruto’s hand shook as he lifted it to grasp Iruka’s. “It was so sad. We killed them.” Tears began streaming. 

Iruka gave a half hearted smile. Naruto was the kind of person to cry for his enemy. Wiping the tears from his face, Iruka continued his care. There was nothing but a silent wisp of cool air on his cheek that signaled Kakashi’s return. 

“Naruto, you should rest.” 

Kakashi covered the boy’s eyes and the darkness seemed to induce Naruto back to sleep. 

“Sensei you’ll come pick up Naruto tomorrow morning right?” 

Iruka nodded and placed the last clean bandage over Naruto’s cut eyebrow. “You should feel free to eat lunch with us. I’m going to invite Sasuke too.”

“I’ll consider it.” 

“I’ll be off then.” 

Iruka paused at the door when he saw Kakashi sit with a slight grunt of pain between Naruto and Sasuke’s beds. “Make sure you try and sleep too. And don’t sleep like that too many times. You’ll get a bad back.” 

The next morning, Naruto was already up and running. His two team mates also awake, but clearly sore and miserable. “Hey Iruka-sensei, we’ll get ramen today right?” 

It was clear his energy was back and already a good deal of his cuts were gone. Iruka envied his vitality. “Yes of course,” Iruka agreed, trying to get Naruto to lay back down so he would check the rest of his wounds. 

“Bye Iruka-sensei,” Sakura called, waving as she left with her father. 

He waved and kept a firm grip on Naruto’s collar, trying to keep him from running out as well. “Sasuke-kun, feel free to come along.” 

“No thanks,” was the blunt reply. The Uchiha departed swiftly and silently with only a very slight limp. Iruka’s brow creased in worry. Sasuke was worrisome. He worried that the boy was extremely depressed. 

Kakashi sat quietly in the same chair Iruka had left seeing him in. He wasn’t sure if the copy-nin was still so exhausted the pleasantries hadn’t woken him up, or if he was just resting his eyes. 

“Hatake-san, would you-”

“Just Kakashi is fine. We’re peers.” 

Iruka blinked. Never in his life would he have considered himself of similar rank as the elite jonin, especially one as notorious as Hatake Kakashi of the Thousand Jutsus. 

“Oh, um, Kakashi-san. My offer still stands. Would you like to come over for a meal?” 

“I could use some food. If you’ll have me. I’ll go get something and meet you there?” The jonin stood stiffly, but this time without any sound of discomfort. 

“We’ll be expecting you.” 

Naruto was able to rush back to Iruka’s small house and get in the shower without any assistance. Iruka laid out the clothes the boy had left there the last time he was here. He noticed that there was a small pile of clothes growing in the small spare bedroom. Smiling, he was rather pleased. The boy really was becoming a part of his life. 

The boring schedule had been disrupted by a liveliness whenever Naruto came over. He was glad, he had been hoping for life to get a bit more exciting. 

As he began the preliminary scrub of blood and dirt out of Naruto’s jacket, he considered simply asking if the boy wanted to move in with him. Then Naruto wouldn’t have to spend his meager savings on an apartment and always being alone. They could both have companionship and the boy would finally have someone to look after him. 

Iruka felt as if the boy was his brother, or maybe even like a son. 

He shook his head. Naruto was much to old to be his son. 

Still, he couldn’t help but feel a bit paternal to him. He never had any siblings or family, maybe Naruto was also just looking for family. But as he thought harder, he realized he already thought of him as family. He didn’t have any second thoughts about saying yes when the Hokage had asked him to be the medical emergency contact and fill out that paperwork for the boy. 

There was a buzz at the door, and Iruka let a freshly washed Kakashi in. 

“Excuse the hair.” 

Kakashi’s thick silver hair was still slightly damp and hung a bit lower over his forehead. It was pretty endearing. Kakashi held a bag out to him. A cake. An expensive one at that. Iruka quickly cleared the table and put the cake into a cooler part of the house, and Naruto helpfully placed the pot of steaming broth on the placemat in the middle. 

Setting out the bowls and the noodle mixtures, Iruka watched as Kakashi began pouring tea. Naruto sat, antsy, fingers twitching to grab his chopsticks and start eating. 

As soon as everyone sat, Naruto gave a quick, “Itadakimasu” and began slurping. He always was starving after missions. Iruka had prepared three more servings for him already, and without a doubt Naruto was on his second helping before he and Kakashi had even finished. 

“Sensei, this is very good.” Kakashi’s eye crinkled in cheerfulness. Iruka wondered how he had eaten so quickly and still had his mask over his face. 

“Don’t stare Iruka-sensei, you’ll never see his face. Believe me, we tried.” 

Iruka quickly shook his head, embarrassed. He hadn’t realized. “Thanks. It’s, well, an old family recipe. Not as good as Ichiraku’s but, I think it’s pretty good.” 

“Iruka-sensei’s ramen is second in good ramen,” Naruto affirmed. Iruka sighed and placed more vegetable in the boy’s bowl ignoring the scrunched nose. But dutifully, Naruto ate it, looking slightly displeased. 

Making sure to respect Kakashi’s privacy, Iruka focused more on Naruto then anything, trying to sneak in more green to his bowl. “Sensei, you’ve hardly touched your food,” Kakashi reminded, “I am sure Naruto is more then able to feed himself. You don’t need to be so worried.” 

Flushing, Iruka nodded and began eating more seriously. “He’s always like this Kakashi-sensei. He’s kind of like a grandma. Always worried.” 

“It’s good he worries Naruto. I’ve seen what you eat. Cup ramen isn’t a well balanced meal.” 

Naruto gave a sniff, and took a tiny portion of vegetables and put it directly in his mouth. Iruka was glad that Naruto listened to someone. 

“I’ll have to come by and eat more sometime. I really do miss home cooked meals,” Kakashi informed Iruka. Iruka looked over at Kakashi who seemed full and content. 

“Of course, I love having guests. Feel free to come any time!”

It seemed from the end of that mission, both Naruto and Kakashi became frequent visitors to his home. At this point, Iruka noticed Naruto would stay with him for several days at a time and only return to his own apartment when he ran out of clothes. 

Kakashi was around every few days to share a meal. In the past few months, Kakashi seemed to have gotten comfortable enough to come on his own, even when Naruto wasn’t there. Iruka couldn’t help but be pleased. His monotonous routine of simply just existing to work was being shaped around actual human relationships. 

Iruka had even begun considering moving into a new house to get more space. He had saved up quite a bit. He was sure he could pay the downpayment and pay the rent. Naruto, even though he was only a boy, had multiple times offered him some meager money for rent in exchange for living there almost all the time. 

But there was no need for that. Iruka worked two well paying jobs that didn’t take up all of his time. He was more then happy to just have someone around. He hadn’t felt this content since before he lost his parents. 

He noticed that Kakashi had taken to spending an afternoon with him after a meal every so often. Taking up lodge in his small living room with a book or scroll that he was working on for a few hours. 

It was strange having an adult companion around. Naruto was always up and moving, standing and trying to think up cool names for jutsu or maybe aggressively trying to practice some sort of skill in the back yard. Which is indeed where he was right now. 

“SUPER COOL SEXY JUTSU!”

There was a puff of smoke and Iruka could see a bare shoulder and long blonde hair. He sighed. Of all the jutsus…

Kakashi was sitting with this feet crossed on the coffee table dozing peacefully. Iruka leaned over the table and gently pulled the tea he had clasped on his abdomen and set it down where it couldn’t be spilled. 

Surprising. Kakashi’s eye didn’t spring open, as most jonin did after years of field attacks. He used to, but Iruka supposed he had finally accepted safety here. 

Leaning back on the opposing couch, Iruka lazily reviewed some grading and paid a little mind to Naruto who had begun throwing kunai at a well worn tree. This was pleasant. He had made a pretty good friend and had Naruto. 

“Hey Sensei, you’re glowing.” 

Iruka looked up at Kakashi who gazed at him through a droopy eye. “Well I am facing the window.” 

“Is it alright that I’m here? I’m not bothering you am I?” 

“No, of course not. You’re my friend and I enjoy your company. It’s been almost a year since you started coming here. If you bothered me, I would have kicked you out long ago.” 

Kakashi smirked under his mask. 

“This is indeed so much better then the jonin barracks. Hot water and home cooked food. I like returning here after missions.” 

“I was considering moving to a new, bigger place. If you want, you can be my roommate. I know you’re busy with missions all the time, but if you want to move out of the barracks, you should feel very free to live with me.” 

There was a pause. Kakashi seemed surprised. 

“This is the first time someone has ever offered something like that to me that wasn’t Guy.” 

“Really? I would have thought that a lot of jonin rent places together to get out of the barracks. I remember living in the Chuunin barracks for a while. All of those communal living spaces aren’t that amazing.” 

“Not many want to live with such a notorious fighter.” 

Iruka’s brow creased. Is that what people thought of Kakashi? Now that he thought about it, most of the villagers tried to stay out of his way and were clearly wary of him. The only friends Iruka could name of Kakashi’s were Guy, and very recently Kurenai and Asuma, fellow jonin. 

The rest of the shinobi simply showed Kakashi respect and stayed out his way. The only genin that dared speak to him really were his own team. But even he, Iruka, had once shown Kakashi the same distance and coldness. It wasn’t until Naruto bridged them together that Iruka had realized that Kakashi was actually a rather warm and kind person. 

“Well, I don’t know what everyone else is thinking, but as my friend you are very welcome to try and find a place with me if you want. I have a few months of rent left here, maybe in a month or two we can look for a nice two bedroom or something. I hope to find a slightly bigger kitchen.” 

“You consider me a friend?” 

“Why wouldn’t I? We often share meals and you seem to like coming around. I know you aren’t much of a talker, so I wasn’t really bothered by that.” 

There was a warm smile coming from the copy-nin.  
“Well you are a very good friend to me. So I would be a fool to not consider it.”

The time was coming for Iruka to begin looking for a new place, but that was when disaster struck. Sasuke had left the village. 

There was nothing Iruka could do to stop Naruto and the other genin from rushing after him. Iruka tried to follow, but was too late. Kakashi had recovered a severely injured Naruto, and many other genin were in critical states. 

While he stood in the hospital waiting on seeing Naruto, Iruka stopped. He heard Shikamaru sobbing. “I couldn’t protect them. I failed them.” Whispers of Asuma’s deep voice flickered down the stark white halls and Iruka’s heart broke. 

These children had been through so much. Iruka turned away. As an adult and as a mentor, he couldn’t bear to see the loss on Shikamaru’s face. Iruka had stopped going on missions after a similar fear. 

After watching his own team members die. 

He felt his eyes burn with the urge to cry. But it had been many years since then, Iruka had come to accept his failure. 

“Yo.” 

Iruka looked up suddenly to see Kakashi, the other man leaning against the wall, looking as miserable as Iruka had ever seen him. But why wouldn’t he be miserable? It was one of his students who had done this, one of his students that left the village as a missing-nin. 

“Are you okay?” 

“Naruto will be okay. He just needs rest. Neji and Choji have gotten past the most critical stages and should be able to recover. There are high hopes of recovery for them.” 

He was going to press Kakashi about himself, but realized that that probably wasn’t for the best. The jonin was no doubt filled with pain. No point in dragging it up if would just hurt him more. 

“I guess I won’t be seeing Naruto until tomorrow. Do you want to come over for a cup of sake? You look like you need some.” 

When Kakashi replied affirmatively, Iruka was half surprised. 

They returned to Iruka’s small house, and Iruka gently helped Kakashi out of his flak jacket. The weight seemed to just sink Kakashi into the floor. Even without the jacket, he still looked heavy and distressed. 

For the first time Iruka watched Kakashi remove his hitae-ate. Averting his eyes respectfully, Iruka just poured a small cup for each of them and sat silently across from him at the table. Kakashi had placed the hitae-ate face down, as if he couldn’t bear to look at the village symbol. 

“I thought I could stop him if it came to this.” 

Iruka looked up sympathetically, unable to formulate any sort of comfort. He always seemed to fail with words in this kind of situation. “Bad things happen. You aren’t to blame.” 

Just silence. Iruka stood to turn on the over head light, but Kakashi grabbed his wrist. Sitting back down, Iruka gently patted Kakashi’s gloved hand. The copy-nin’s grip slacked and he pulled his hand back quickly. 

There they sat, in the gloom of the small lamp on the other side of the room. 

Kakashi didn’t say anything, and Iruka didn’t either, letting the man mourn in his own way. There were no tears, just a tired eye and the close scarred one. Iruka looked over Kakashi’s jaw. Something Kakashi was now comfortable with letting him look at. 

He had a pretty ordinary face. Iruka acknowledged that Kakashi was an attractive man, but with his face out, he was still just a normal man. He wasn’t supernatural or anything, just a man, who felt pain just as deeply as any other. 

“I don’t want to be alone. Is it alright if I stay here for just for the night?” 

“Of course, that’s no problem. I don’t have a futon right now, because Naruto has it. If you aren’t comfortable sharing a bed, then I can take the couch.” 

“I can sleep on the couch it’s no problem.” 

“No, no. Really I know how terrible it is to face one of these things alone, I just thought maybe you would need comfort or something,” Iruka quickly said sheepishly. “When I was really sad I had always wished there was just someone next to me to remind me things will be okay. But I might just be an odd preference of mine. I just want you to be comfortable.” 

When Kakashi didn’t reply, Iruka figured he’d simply sleep on the couch. 

They drank for a few more hours in silence and then Iruka insisted on Kakashi showering first. 

He was a little worried his clothes wouldn’t fit Kakashi well, as the copy nin was slightly taller and slimmer, but there was not a lot of difference in actuality. 

They sat together after changing into sleep wear on the couch and watched the stars in the window across. “I wonder if Sasuke will be alright.” 

“Who knows. He wouldn’t have left if he wasn’t ready though. He’s got a strong hold on whatever that mission was that drove him all this time. I don’t think he would give up so easily.” 

Kakashi sighed, his pale hands shining in the moonlight. 

“I have never seen you with your hair down before Sensei. It looks nice.” 

Iruka touched his long brown hair, soft with the fresh washing. Maybe he wouldn’t cut it after all. “I’ve never seen you with the hitae-ate off.” 

“I just figured no one wanted to see the scar. And then I just got used to it I guess.” 

They didn’t talk much. Not before, and not now. Yet even though Kakashi was so private, Iruka still felt like he knew the other many quite well considering. Throughout the course of the past year or so, he learned Kakashi’s favorite foods were saury and miso soup with eggplant and that his favorite color is blue. 

Iruka didn’t doubt that Kakashi knew almost all his little nuances at this point. Kakashi was undoubtably considerably more attentive. 

“I don’t mind sharing the bed if you don’t mind.” 

Kakashi’s simple statement seemed to let him relax a bit more. 

They ended up shoulder to shoulder looking up at the shadows dancing across the ceiling. Kakashi still slept with the mask on as far as Iruka could tell, but his hands and forehead were bare. Iruka could feel a steady warmth coming from the copy-nin and he felt very reassured. It had been years since he had had contact with another person. Hadn’t been alone at night. 

There was no sexual desire, no lingering expectations, it was nice. Simply just, friendship and quietness. He wished this had been the case all those years ago after the incident. 

“This is nice. I’ve never been comforted before,” Kakashi murmured, “No one has ever made a point to care.”

“I know what it’s like to need comfort and have no one realize. It’s lonely. I wouldn’t wish it on you anymore. I’ll always be here as your friend to help you when ever you need it. I hope you can always feel that way too. I know you would do the same for me.”

Iruka wasn’t sure why he was so confident Kakashi would help him, besides the deep down feeling. 

“I know. If you ever want to talk too, I will try my best to be of help as well. I’m not that great at talking in general, but teamwork and friendship are among the most important thing a shinobi can have in their life.” 

The night passed quickly and Iruka awoke feeling more refreshed then he had in a long time. Kakashi lay next to him, warm and still sleeping. Gently sliding out of bed, he moved to look out the window. It had begun to rain and the gray sky only fitting after such a tragic preceding day.

It was rather chilly for a fall day. Cooler than he had ever remembered it being. Today was an off day, he didn’t have any work, and he was sure Naruto was still in recovery. He could go a bit later to go see the boy. Maybe he should stop by and check on Shikamaru while he was out too. 

He’d make breakfast and leave some for Kakashi and then go. 

The just made a simple soup and left some rice in the cooker and left some eggs out just in case Kakashi wanted that too. He sipped some soup and pulled the umbrella from the holder next to the door. The storm was howling now. 

Iruka made it quickly to the Nara home. 

He tried to speak words of comfort to the boy, but by the look on his face, he could tell that he wasn’t completely listening. They were the same rank now, but Iruka knew that Shikamaru was far superior in both skill and leadership potential. 

But Iruka didn’t pride himself in his combat prowess or even his leadership, it was his ability to teach young people what is necessary for them to far surpass him. Ever since his failed mission all those years ago, he knew he was not destined for greatness or anything like that. He was destined to help those who have even greater potential live on and simply do his duty to the village. 

“Iruka-sensei, how did you get through it?”

Shikamaru looked so tired. He supposed Shikaku had told him of past difficulties to help relieve some of his pain. 

“Eventually you learn to forgive yourself, even if it is only a tiny bit and you realize that no one is upset with you for trying to do your shinobi duty. Shinobi get injured and die all the time, as is the way of our life. I wish to the dear ancestors that it was not this way, but until something changes, we will have to fight, and leaders will have to make hard decisions that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. 

“I too, have been forgiven, but my senpai and those around me. I even have mostly come to forgive myself. You can’t blame yourself for pain. Pain is everywhere. And maybe you just simply aren’t the one who life tasked with relieving it. Forgive yourself Shikamaru.”

The boy just looked distantly past him as if searching for Sasuke in the rain. 

“I failed Naruto. I was supposed to lead the time. Maybe if I had been better at my mission, Sasuke would be here and Naruto, and Neji, and Choji, they would all be okay.” Tears. 

Iruka saw himself in the pain on the boy’s face. Kimiko, Yuusuke, Shuu, and Akio, he had watched all four of the genin on his team die because he hadn’t prepared for the risk of ambush. And in the end, he was the only one saved. Shikamaru hadn’t failed as severely. 

“They would never blame you. They knew what could happen. You prepared the best you could, and there was no way of knowing how far Sasuke had gone before you guys left to recover him. I know, Naruto for sure, would not want to see you cry or any of his friends in pain. You must simply endure and continue protecting the village. And I am aware Asuma told you of the King. The King is still alive, because in the end, you led to the defeat of 5 extremely powerful and violent shinobi and your comrades are still alive. You, Shikamaru, with your incredible power of thought, will endure and you will become an amazing shinobi.”

“Iruka-sensei…”

Shushing him, Iruka just pressed a bento into his hands. “I thought I would just bring you some snacks for you and your friends when they’re released. I hope you didn’t mind my ramblings, but I really must be off to check on Naruto. I’ll look in on the others too.” He smiled gently and just patted the boy’s shoulder. 

Naruto was still deep asleep when Iruka arrived. Iruka wiped the boy’s face and sighed. So much destruction and pain these last few years. He wondered in vain when the fighting would end. Everyone was tired and always on edge. They were back relying on the Third Hokage, while they searched for a Fifth. The Third was getting elderly, and there was no sign of anyone who could take up the mantle and fill the void of the Fourth. 

Holding Naruto’s clammy palm, Iruka thought back on the war. He had been among the other young people, not allowed to fight, but he looked at this new generation, and they had already seen so much suffering. 

His heart bled so painfully for Naruto and Shikamaru. So much tragedy. 

He was surprised to feel tears sliding down his cheeks. Why was he so sad? Shinobi life was full of war and full of pain. Isn’t that what he just told Shikamaru? He knew this, but he had always just thought that maybe the pain would stop so that no more children needed to die, no more would have to feel lose. 

But children like Naruto had already lost their entire families, their clans, their homes, their lives, the lives of their friends. He tried to contain the heaves of agony. 

There was a cool hand on his shoulder. With a jump, he turned to see Kakashi, wet, but ultimately okay. “Don’t cry sensei, what if Naruto wakes up.” Kakashi wiped tears from Iruka’s cheek. “Your heart is so large that you cry. I wish I was as empathetic. But it seems the tears are all dried up.”

Iruka let Kakashi gently tug him up. 

They walked in the rain, Kakashi holding the umbrella above them both. “I suppose this is fitting isn’t it? Raining on such a sad occasion. It’s always raining here now.” 

Kakashi’s feet made almost made no sound in the puddles, and Iruka was suddenly aware how comfortable he had gotten in the village. His own sandals seemed to make so much noise. He had become so familiar with comfort that this tragedy with Sasuke, was just unthinkable to him. 

“…I guess so. This probably means the village is going to be preparing to fight again soon. First Itachi, and now Sasuke. The Third has a huge mess to deal with now.” 

“Both of them were my subordinates. Do you think I am at fault here? In the end I couldn’t stop either of them from leaving. Maybe if I hadn’t been such a failure of a leader, they wouldn’t have resorted to these kinds of things.” 

He was still lingering. 

Taking Kakashi’s hand, Iruka pulled him towards the memorial site. Leading them through the many gravestones, they passed many fallen comrades. Kakashi’s past friends, Rin and Obito. Iruka passing Kimiko, Yuusuke, Shuu, and Akio, they stood at the very end, at the very largest stone. Written there, the names of the Hokage and “Will of Fire”. 

They stood in front of this for a while. 

“It’s painful until this day. To see everyone I know die before me,” Iruka murmured. 

The rain fell heavier around them, surrounding Iruka in that all familiar feeling of pain and sorrow. 

He had always hated the rain and the overcast sky. It always made him relive the worst days of his life. The night his parents died, the day his watched his team die. 

“We’re still alive though, so we just need to honor their memories. That’s all we can really do. I don’t really think I do much of anything anymore. I just teach the children and hand out missions, but I still think that what I do, however small will let us get better in the end. I don’t think Shinobi are blessed with long lives for a reason. Maybe you and I just don’t deserve it. But these kids, their different than us. Can’t you tell already? They’re already stronger.” 

Kakashi was quiet next to him. Iruka turned to look at the copy-nin, suddenly realizing they still had their hands intertwined. Something in Iruka burned, a feeling he had tried to suppress for a while. Seeing the pain in Kakashi’s face, hurt him more deeply than anything. 

“You really are something Sensei,” Kakashi replied, his eye creasing slightly. Iruka figured that if Kakashi’s face was exposed, it would be something like a grimace and smile mixture. 

“Am I too blunt?” Iruka began releasing his grip, to take back the offending hand. But he felt Kakashi’s grip tighten around his. 

“You are so kind. I am lucky to call you friend. After all this time, you are still here. Even after I just eat your food, and come over at inconvenient times, you still let me in. You still comfort me. I wish had become friends much sooner. I really like you.” 

They stood looking at each other. Iruka searching for any indication that Kakashi could actual mean what he thought he was implying. Shinobi often didn’t marry or even pursue relationships, with anyone until they fully retired from dangerous missions. The risk of loss was too high. Especially for someone like Kakashi, who was high in skill, and likely going to be in service and doing missions for the village for a long time more. 

“Kakashi… I am sure you know how I feel and how I have felt for a long time. I haven’t really tried to hide it. But we both know the risk implied. I don’t want you to feel any obligation for me. You are a notorious fighter, and I am just an Academy sensei.” 

Iruka noted that they had recently gotten to first name basis, even if Kakashi liked to teasingly still call him Sensei too. 

“It’s not obligation. I don’t want you to have to wait for me or feel pain from what I do either. I just wanted you to know. We are close, and both adults, if someday we can progress to something more, I would like that. It’s hard for me to ask you this, but will you wait for me for a while?” 

There was a sudden flash of thunder overhead, and it illuminated Kakashi’s face for a moment. It was all truth and a genuine wish. Iruka had felt that there was something unsaid between them, that had progressed from the tender growth of friendship over the last two years, a tiny little bud. 

“I’ll wait for you. I hope someday we’ll be able to help each other more, that you can truly grow to trust me. I’ll continue being a friend to you and try my best to support you.” Iruka touched Kakashi’s cheek gently and smiled. 

Kakashi covered his hand with his and turned his chin to press his covered lips into Iruka’s palm. 

They returned to Iruka’s small house and Iruka set a pot of tea on the stove. 

Naruto ended up fully recovering and soon left with Jiraya. Iruka felt the loss of the boy everyday, just as all of the boy’s peers did. The emptiness left by Naruto and Sasuke seemed to weigh down on everyone. 

Iruka found himself sometimes waiting at the window looking at night, hoping to see the flash of orange and to get ready to make ramen. Even though no one ate it anymore, Iruka kept a serving of things to make the soup constantly stocked. 

Deep down he knew Naruto would be gone for a while, yet he still waited. 

He had moved to a larger place, but it felt empty without Naruto. Kakashi was now his roommate, but the jonin had been keeping himself pretty much to himself with missions, as if to fill the void as well. 

Once in a while, when the copy-nin was actually in the village, they would walk together in the evenings. Iruka could see the longing in Kakashi, when they passed Kurenai or Asuma with their teams. Kakashi’s team was gone. Naruto and Sasuke, both who knows where, and Sakura with the newly returned Tsunade. 

The village eventually seemed to recover from the loss of the two genin, but Iruka and Kakashi both felt slightly incomplete. 

They had become closer and closer gradually. Spending tiny increments of time together and feeling comforted by the company. 

Usually it would just be quiet in the too big living room, across from each other, reading or doing other busy work, or a walk to go get groceries or dinner. 

One night, upon his return, Kakashi didn’t take up his customary seat on the couch across, but instead on the other side of the couch that Iruka normally took up residence on. A tiny change, but Iruka felt less alone. It was a silly thing to feel, just from Kakashi changing couches, but it was small gesture that Kakashi was trying to show him. 

Over the next few months, the comfort levels grew even more. Kakashi began opening up fractions more. Iruka was glad. The hole left by Naruto was getting less painful now. He and Kakashi now began sharing their burdens and the pain slowly dulled. 

Tonight they sat at the dining room table and Kakashi told him of Rin and Obito, something Iruka knew he never spoke of, the biggest pain that hurt him. They drank quietly next to each other, Kakashi with one arm around the back of Iruka’s chair. Comfortable, but not touching him, careful to keep to the unspoken boundaries. 

“Do you miss them,” Iruka asked.

“Everyday.”

They sat in comfortable silence. Iruka had come to appreciate silence more since becoming friends with Kakashi. 

“I wish I knew them. I never spoke to Rin, but I saw her often in the hospital when she was volunteering. She was so kind, always smiling at me. I often heard Obito there too. He reminded me a bit of how Naruto is now.” 

“They were good people. Just like Kimiko and Akio. I never met Yuusuke or Shuu, but I heard many approving things about them.”

Reminiscing about their fallen comrades was never something Iruka and Kakashi did. There had always been an unspoken pact to just simply not mention them. Iruka never mentioned those four. The guilt still sat in his abdomen at night sometimes. 

But it seemed the barrier was coming down now, and Iruka was almost relieved. He told Kakashi of all the times Akio had healed him, everything from cuts to broken ankles, never complaining. Kimiko and her brash tongue, but desire to protect everyone. Yuusuke and Shuu, the two who were always happy, always the first to leap up to help anyone. 

Iruka had tried to be a good leader to them, after going on several missions as their team leader. He was easily much weaker than both Kimiko and Yuusuke, but he had been good at tactics and reading the enemy. Apparently not good enough though. 

He cringed at the memory of Kimiko’s body flying in between him and several Fuma Shuriken. When she smiled blood dripped down her chin. “I’m glad you’re okay. Iruka. I always wanted to tell you I loved you. I guess in the end I was too scared to tell you.” She had laughed gently and then just closed her eyes.  
There wasn’t even time to mourn. Yuusuke and Shuu had screamed at him to run and to take the scroll and Akio back to the village as fast as he could. He wasn’t even there when they died. But Akio would leave. He insisted on healing Yuusuke and Shuu, to buy Iruka as much time as they could to get the secrets back to Konoha. 

Iruka should have stayed to protect them. He should have let one of them go in his place. 

He hadn’t realized he was crying, until Kakashi’s thumb swiped some away from his face. 

“If you had stayed back, you wouldn’t have helped me. I’m sorry about your friends, but I’m happy you’re still here. This is probably a really bad time to say this, but I love you.” 

Kakashi looked at him, his face showing only sincerity. Iruka had come to understand Kakashi’s strange, to the point style of speech, and was relieved Kakashi just said it. Kakashi never lied, and he was always rather apathetic, but after all this time fighting to get Kakashi to open up, he finally heard it. 

Iruka had said it only twice before. Once that night almost a year ago in the rain, and agin a few months ago when Kakashi had been admitted into the hospital unconscious. They had spent so much time dancing around this, and never braving the idea. 

But with Kakashi’s admittance, Iruka knew that the time had come for them to come to an understanding. After they had both admitted their most closely guarded feelings that weighed them down, the weight had come off. 

“I love you too.” 

They kissed gently. It lasted only a moment, but Kakashi smiled back at him. 

He suddenly felt ten years younger. The dulled pain of the death of his friends was finally moving out of his heart to let that tiny bud blossom. Three years of becoming familiar with Kakashi had allowed him to slowly move out of the pain and let him grow out of his monotonous routine and sadness. 

Kakashi too had become more open. Continuously opening up to his peers and to Iruka, becoming warmer and a tiny bit more talkative about personal matters. 

A tiny part of him wanted to admit to Kakashi, that he had always wanted to be his friend. Even from his childhood, having first started with admiration for a young shinobi so skilled, to have it to progress to irritation at Kakashi for enrolling Naruto in the dangerous chuunin exams too early, to actually becoming friends. 

But perhaps that was a confession for another time.  
Kakashi and Iruka grew even closer over the coming months. Familiarizing themselves at an un-rushed, casual pace. 

One night after a few drinks and several more laughs, Iruka found himself shirt off, pants around his ankles with his mouth firmly sealed against Kakashi’s. Iruka never found himself lusting after Kakashi, nor Kakashi after him. They had both never needed bodily contact, contenting themselves well with the companionship they had both been starved of for a long time. 

But tonight they both fell into bed for the first time. They both had discussed the topic of sex, but it never really seemed to come up. It was a cool fall evening and they felt warm and comfortable. 

Kakashi had his mouth wrapped firmly around Iruka’s erection, as Iruka gasped nothings, gripping gently at Kakashi’s thick silver hair. Iruka was grateful for Kakashi’s patience and steadiness, preparing him fully and lovingly. 

They both let out sighs of relief as Kakashi slid in, his shaft full and hot. Iruka felt like he was burning. Kakashi’s hot chest burning him as it slide over his own. Mashing his lips against his lover’s he moaned quietly, smiling when he heard Kakashi’s grunt of pleasure. 

It was so warm. His chest felt so full, Kakashi kissing his cheek and caressing his thigh as they shifted positions. They never separated for more than a moment, Kakashi thrusting gently and completely until Iruka felt his erection twitch and shoot between their stomachs. 

“Is it alright if I stay in,” Kakashi breathed in his ear. Iruka nodded, and rode out his orgasm, pulling Kakashi in closer. With a stuttered breath, Iruka felt Kakashi jerk suddenly and was suddenly filled with warmth. 

Gently pulling out, Kakashi rolled over, to avoid landing on Iruka. They panted for a bit, laying next to each other in contentment. Iruka felt so warm, so happy. 

Turning over, he smiled down at Kakashi, who reached up and ran his fingers through Iruka’s hair. 

So much had changed, as he watched Kakashi’s face in the fading sunlight from the window he knew that maybe someday everything would be okay, that there would be peace in the world. Kakashi looked at him like he was a blind man who was seeing the world for the first time. 

Pressing a gentle kiss to Kakashi’s lips, Iruka suddenly heard a knock at the door. Who could it be?

When he opened the door, he felt his chest expand even more. The last hole was closed. He was so big now. 

“Naruto, you’re back.”

**Author's Note:**

> I tried to keep things as close to canon as possible, but there's likely some OOCness in order to try and achieve a certain level of angst because I hate myself LOL
> 
> There was some fact checking from Naruto Wikia and such, but I also like to make up stuff and make things even more tragic for everyone.
> 
> Leave me a comment or something on how sad you are that Naruto technically ended too. After all these years I finally finished reading/watching(catching up with) the series and I feel very emotional right now. 
> 
> Also, unbetaed, but maybe eventually I'll edit it for clarity and grammar and stuff. So please excuse the probable errors, English isn't my first language and I also hate editing.


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